Well....the paperwork is completed and my decision is made....

I'M GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND!!!

I have to say it was an extremely difficult decision to make, but I know that UMD is the best for me. While it is scary and a little exhilarating to be walking away from a full ride from Rice University, I am so looking forward to all the new experiences that the Maryland Opera Studio will offer! EEE!!!

I know that this does not seem like much of an update, but I will have more to share after my recital is over....it's April 9th at 7:30pm...like you all haven't heard that before ;)

Well....after 2 months of stalking my mailbox to the point of creeping out my postman...THE GRAD SCHOOL OFFERS ARE ALL IN!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been accepted to all 3 schools I had applied/auditioned for - University of Maryland, Florida State University, and Rice University...which is incredibly exciting!!!! I've narrowed down my choices to University of Maryland and Rice University. I've had really amazing offers from both.

1)Rice offered me a full ride. I'm currently reading through all of the fine print to see if it is a full tuition waver or if it just covers what the minimum full-time tuition.

2)Maryland offered me an assistantship that covers half my tuition and makes the half I pay instate tuition. The assistantship also offers me health insurance and a $7,300 stipend each year.

I'm spending the next week or so calling each school with my questions, talking to the voice faculty and lots and lots of praying about this decision I have to make. I feel incredibly blessed to have been accepted to both of these wonderful schools. Rice was only taking 14 new MM students and Maryland was only taking 10 new MM students, so big yay! I know that I will receive a fantastic education from both of these schools, its just figuring out which one will be best for me.

In other news, I actually got to go somewhere for spring break!!! That never happens...ever. I went to Tulsa, OK for the Crescendo Music Competition last weekend. My car broke down on the Cimmaron turnpike on the way there....whoops. But I was able to have it towed to Tulsa and have it repared in time for my preliminary round. I made it to the semi-finals, but did not advance to finals...but hey, it's all good audition experience :) After that I drove to Dallas, TX to spend my spring break with Frank. It was really wonderful to be able to relax for a bit and spend time with him. I met several of his family members and loved them all. I came back to Wichita sporting a sunburn from visiting the Dallas Arboretum...pictures will be up later.

My recital is soon approaching...eek! I'm feeling much more prepared, which is a plus. My recital preview is this week...once I get through that it will be smooth sailing. Hope you all are doing well and as always please keep me posted with your lives!

Hello all!

Sorry I have not posted an update for a while, but life has been really busy. I'm trying to catch up in my classes from being gone for auditions, tech week for the opera, and frantically trying to finish learning my recital material. Ahhh!

The show opens Thursday! My performance nights are on Thursday and Saturday, but as fun as this show has been, I am ready for it to be over so I can tackle other things on my agenda. I will try to update more when I have the time, but until then I wish you all the best!

Big yay! I found/chose one more fantastic Handel aria for my recital! It was the last piece I needed to finish my recital program, so yahoo!!!

I am also back into the swing of playing the harp again this semester. I'm working on a harp arrangement of 6 Russian Dances by Bartok (originally for violin). It's my first time playing Bartok and I have to say I love it :) The pieces have such wonderful tone colors and incredible chromatics in them...goosebumps! We have a Concert Chorale performance this coming Tuesday as well. We are singing Rejoice In The Lamb by Britten. Did I forget to mention how much I LOVE BRITTEN?!?! He's absolutely brilliant, enough said. I'm not sure if the concert will be broadcast on WSUIR online radio or not, but I will be sure to let you know if it is. I am still waiting to hear from University of Maryland, Rice University, and Opera North. I know that I probably won't hear from them until the first week in March, but that hasn't stopped me from stalking my mailbox.

I did have to make a decision to work less hours at the Marriott after the opera. Due to all of the things I have committed myself to for school/all the fun aspects of being a graduating senior, I just can't work my usual shifts and I would not have been able to have all those days off. So I'm working just 2 days a week instead of 3. I will have to find some house cleaning jobs or find a few more voice students. I know that it was the right decision to make and I just trust that God will provide me with what I need :) But it's been amazing this week, because I've just had a wonderful peace about all these things that would usually stress me out immensely.

Anywho, I need to get back to translating and studying. More news as it occurs later!

Well....my body is refusing to sleep, so I opted to try and research/find one more Handel aria for my recital.

I have tried to avoid singing Handel for as long as possible. It's intimidated me for years, and that part has definitely not changed! Mainly it's because I've thought I would ruin a beautifully written piece. I think that it one of my largest fears as a singer. The composer, Handel to be specific, has taken such care and beauty in writing the line and the orchestration, I just don't want to screw it up by not being prepared. I do have my favorites that I long to sing someday, "Da Tempeste" from Giulio Cesare and "I Myself I Shall Adore" from Semele are my absolute FAVORITES!!!!!!!!!!! But because I am still a young singer, I know I need more time to work on my craft before I take on these pieces. Which brings me to my current frustration...finding an upbeat Handel aria that I am vocally ready for. TOUGH TO FIND! But what should I find during my search - a Handel video/interview with a woman in the business I really look up to, Joyce DiDonato:




I took a break and decided to watch this. I love it when I come across things like this. It helps me to know that I'm not alone in my desire to be able to deliver as a performer. So for me, the struggle is worth it and ends up being the most gratifying part of the whole experience.


Well...I've liked the following I-think-are-doable-pieces after the past several hours of research: "Scoglio d'immota fronte" from Scipione, "Combattuda"/ "Un 'Aura Placida"/ "Mi Parto Lieta" from Faramondo, "S'adopri il braccio armato" from Radamisto, "La mia costanza" from Fulvia, "Di re sdegnato" and "Verdi Lauri, cingetemi il crine" from Giustino, and "Se giunge un dispetto" from Agrippina. Here's hoping I find more tomorrow back in the music library and will be able to pick one...ack! I think I'm going to try attempt #2 for going to bed.

Through this whole auditioning season, I've been thinking a lot about my strengths and weaknesses. Me being me I usually tend to focus on my weaknesses. But I revisited a particular scripture that will always speak volumes to me:


"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9


In my experience, no one likes to boast about their weaknesses. However, it never ceases to amaze me how much more I depend on God because of them. Later in my life, I can look back and see His glory shine through my weaknesses and hurts. Here are some of my weaknesses:

-often take things too personally
-low self-confidence
-perfectionist
-selfish
-a long personal struggle
-often very hard on myself

These are just a mere few of my imperfections, but God uses them anyways for His purpose. Because I am so hard on myself and do have issues with low self-confidence, God enables me to remain humble with my singing. It's a daily reminder of how much more work and effort I need to utilize the gift God has given me. As my mother used to say, and still does, there will always be someone better than you. And it's true. Art is subjective and not everyone will like what I bring to the table, and that's okay.

My personal struggles and hurts have allowed me to be more aware of others' feelings and empathetic to their hurts. Sometimes they even find comfort in the fact that someone else has understood their struggle and hardship. Even though it will always be a struggle, I am thankful for the experience because I've learned so much and because I have been able to be useful because of it.


Anyways, I'm off my soap box, but it just really makes you think about things, ya know?


In other news.....BREANNA BROWN MADE STATE QUALIFYING TIME IN THE 500 FREE STYLE!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE EVEN TOOK OFF 5 SECONDS FROM HER BEST TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can we tell I'm a proud big sister?! Breanna goes to State Conference in 2 weeks. So proud :)

Also I have my performance dates for L'enfant et les Sortilege at WSU. I will be on the Thursday/Saturday night cast on March 4th & 6th at 7:30pm in Wilner Auditiorium. Other than that, not much to update on. Lots of ♥ to you all, especially with Valentine's Day just around the corner ;)

So as several of you know, I am a stress magnet. Some of it is self inflicted, and the rest I just seem to attract. My body has now decided to react due to that and I have some acid reflux problems :(

I noticed that for several days my voice was feeling pretty crappy and I wasn't sure why. My top and bottom parts of my range were the worst, which is not normal for me. Thanks to my fabulous voice teacher who knows so much about health and medicinal things I now am able to treat it. I did a search as to what foods I should stay away from for a while....it was like someone jotted down my usual diet and put a big NO on it...I miss my spicey foods, coffee, and citris fruits!!! I am trying to get a better handle on this before Tuesday because that is my audition for Opera North.


In other news, I received my acceptance letter from Florida State University today, yahoo! Now I just wait to hear about acceptance from the other 2 schools and see what scholarship offers happen.

Other than that, not a whole lot to fill you in on...just trying to decompartmentalize my stressful life one step at a time. I will be SOOOO much happier once mid March rolls around; most of the stress should be gone by then. Anywho...hope you all are doing well!